Medical journal of HMS Cleopatra , from 24 September 1841 to 2 March 1842 by Robert...

ADM 101/94/2C

1841-1842

Medical journal of HMS Cleopatra, from 24 September 1841 to 2 March 1842 by Robert McCrae, Surgeon, during which time the ship was employed in the North America and West Indies Station.

[Note: ADM 101/94/2, 2A, 2B and 2C are produced as a single document: order as ADM 101/94/2].

Folios 1-4: Copy of daily sick list.

Folios 4-6: case no 1, Philip Petitt, aged 25, Captain of the Mizzen Top; sick or hurt, rheumatism chronica, the patient was transferred to the recent Surgeon by Mr Martyn late Surgeon of this ship, the patient stated that he was on the sick list for a long time, having been first affected with swelling and inflammation of epididymis of right testicle followed by sympathetic bubo in the right groin; put on sick list 24 September 1841 at St. John New Foundland, sent 14 October 1841 to Bermuda Hospital.

Folios 6-8: case no 2, George Fisher, aged 17, Drummer Royal Marine; sick or hurt, otitis; put on sick list 24 September 1841 at St. John New Foundland, invalided 13 October 1841 at Halifax.

Folios 8-9: case no 3, Benjamin Mantle, aged 25, Seaman; sick or hurt, cerebritis chronica, suffered from an insidious affection of the brain and its membranes but afterwards displayed itself in a more acute attack of phrenitis; put on sick list 24 September 1841 at St. John New Foundland, invalided 13 October 1841 at Halifax.

Folio 9: case no 4, Benjamin Brand, aged 37, Seaman; sick or hurt, deformity of the right hand; put on sick list 2 October 1841 at St. John New Foundland, invalided 13 October 1841 at Halifax.

Folios 9-11: case no 5, Mr J Halse, aged 50, Purser; sick or hurt, rheumatism and c, pain in the back, shoulders, upper and lower extremities; put on sick list 14 October 1841 at Halifax, invalided 16 October 1841 at Halifax.

Folios 11-14: case no 6, Edward Cowie, aged 25, Quarter Master; sick or hurt, pleuritis; put on sick list 29 October 1841 at Halifax, discharged 11 November 1841 to duty.

Folios 14-16: case no 7, Edward Barney, aged 32, Seaman; sick or hurt, erysipelas, complained of pain, stiffness and felling of distension in the integuments of the face especially on the right side accompanied with a good deal of swelling and a bright erysipelatous redness over the effected parts; put on sick list 6 November 1841 at Halifax, discharged 16 November 1841 to duty.

Folios 16-20: case no 8, John Smith, aged 32, Carpenter's Mate; sick or hurt, fractura costae, the patient was on shore on leave, attempting to walk on board a merchant brig – being intoxicated, the plank narrow and the distance from the wharf considerable, he fell into the water between two vessels and remained under the water for upwards of five minutes, he was rescued from drowning by the Cook of the vessel. When the Surgeon found him he appeared to recover from the submersion but was outrageously drunk, had a ragged wound of the integuments over the 7th rib of left side about midway between the sternum and vertebral column, there were two smaller wounds situated more posteriorly and a little above the former, these wounds were caused by the breaking of a bottle which he had in the breast of his shirt when he fell…; put on sick list 13 December 1841 at Grenada, sent 21 December 1841 to Military Hospital at Barbadoes.

Folios 20-22: case no 9, William Harvey, aged 29, Captain of Main Top; sick or hurt, cynanche tonsillaris; put on sick list 12 November 1841 at sea, discharged 30 November 1841 to duty at Barbadoes.

Folio 22: Nosological synopsis of cases mentioned in this journal.

Folio 23: Table showing list of men who received wounds or hurts during the period of this journal. John Jamieson, aged 40, Quarter Master belonged to HMS Rose, was received on board this ship on 20 December 1841 as a supernumerary for passage to England: he applied to the Surgeon of this ship and stated that he received an injury on 7 October previous when doing duty on board the detained slave brig 'Marabout' prize to HMS Rose, there was no surgeon on board the brig at the time, but he reported the occurrence to the Lieutenant Commanding the party and on arriving at the French settlement of Cayenne he was sent to the Hospital there and he was in possession of a certificate from the establishment's medical officer, stating that he was suffered from an inguinal hernia, on the Surgeon of this ship examined him found that an inguinal hernia of left side existed. Signed: Robert McCrae, Surgeon.

Folios 23-25: Surgeon's general remarks about the appointment of Robert McCrae as the Surgeon by Commodore Douglas Commander in Chief of the West India and North America Station as the former Surgeon Mr Partick Martyn retired on half pay [folio 23]; the Surgeon describes the case of Mr Lyster, ages 22, Mate [folio 24]. Signed: Robert McCrae, Surgeon.

Public Record(s)

Open Document, Open Description

Topics

Clothing

Trade and commerce

Caribbean

Slavery

Disease

Navy

Americas

Medicine

Armed Forces (General Administration)